Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdard’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Bkdard’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; early and continuous flowering habit; double inflorescences with bright red-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKDARD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkdard’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely branching habit, attractive ray floret coloration, long flowering period and good garden performance.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2006 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number 2006-0007, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in July, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since November, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bkdard’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkdard’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Early and continuous flowering habit.     -   4. Double inflorescences with bright red-colored ray florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are taller than plants of the female         parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia are darker green in color         than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have darker red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Gallery Riviera’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,802. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed primarily from plants of ‘Gallery Riviera’ in peduncle length as plants of ‘Gallery Riviera’ had shorter peduncles than plants of the new Dahlia.

Plants of the new Dahlia can also be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Red Fox’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed primarily from plants of ‘Red Fox’ in ray floret color as plants of ‘Red Fox’ had darker red-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkdard’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Bkdard’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial container Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time and were nine weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘Bkdard’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dahlia             hybrida identified as code number 2006-0007, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures of about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures of about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous, white in             color; tuber development has not been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright, somewhat             outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted             triangle; about six primary lateral branches develop, each             primary lateral branch with numerous secondary branches;             inflorescences held above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; bushy and dense growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 26.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 27.9 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11.8 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Aspect: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 144A tinged with close to 183B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves compound with three to             five leaflets.         -   Compound leaves.—Length: About 12.3 cm. Width: About 11.7             cm.         -   Leaflet leaves.—Length: About 7.8 cm. Width: About 4.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Compound leaves: Broadly ovate. Leaflets: Ovate to             broadly elliptic.         -   Apex, leaflets.—Apiculate.         -   Base, leaflets.—Short attenuate.         -   Margin, leaflets.—Coarsely dentate.         -   Venation pattern, leaflets.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper surface, leaflets.—Smooth, glabrous;             mid-vein, sparsely pubescent.         -   Texture, lower surface, leaflets.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to N137C.             Developing leaflets, lower surface: Between 147B and 148B.             Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close to N137C;             venation, close to 137B to 137C. Fully expanded leaflets,             lower surface: Close to 191A; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 152A tinged with close to 177A. Color,             lower surface: Between 144B and 145A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Double inflorescence form with             ray and disc florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit, about 30 inflorescences developing per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about ten weeks after planting; plants flower             continuously during the late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two to three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About             1.3 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 152D;             towards the base, close to 143A to 143B; towards the apex,             tinged with close to 184B to 184C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.9 cm. Depth (height):             About 6.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.1 cm. Receptacle             height: About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 8 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 90 arranged             in about four whorls. Length: About 3.9 cm. Width: About             2.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Aspect: About 65° from vertical; ray florets             concave. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately velvety. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 53A; towards the apex, close to 46B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 47A; towards the margins,             close to 46A; longitudinal ribs, close to 56A to 56B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Between 45B and 46B; color does not             change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 46B; longitudinal ribs, close to 51C to 51D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 35. Length:             About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Tubular,             elongated; apices, acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened,             inner and outer surfaces: Close to 13A to 13B; towards the             base, close to 151C to 151D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About eight arranged             in a single whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Oblong to narrowly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Broadly             cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             150B; towards the base, close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.1 cm. Length,             axillary peduncle: About 8.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 20° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200C; towards the             apex, close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets             only: Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 3 mm. Filament color: Between 152A and N199A; towards             the apex, close to 144B. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong.             Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 22A.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 23A.             Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About             7 mm. Style color: Close to 151C to 151D. Stigma shape:             Cleft. Stigma color: Close to 22A. Ovary color: Close to             145C. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Dahlia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain. Plants     of the new Dahlia have been observed to be tolerant to high     temperatures of 35° C. and hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdard’ as illustrated and described. 